OFFICE of INDIAN EDUCATION (OIE)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Ensuring Language Grants Continue During Pandemic

The pandemic is often described as "unprecedented" where the opposite is true for Native communities. The pandemic has full precedence for Native peoples' and now more than ever we recognize this critical time to continue our investments in Native American Languages.

Who is the OIE?

The Office of Indian Education (OIE) is the primary office responsible for the administration of Title VI, Part A programs within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015.

The OIE is an office of 12 dedicated Indian Education professionals whose mission is to serve the greater Indian Education community across the United States.

What does the OIE do?

OIE's mission is to "bring culture into the classroom," by means of meeting the special educational and cultural related academic needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Why should I care about the OIE?

You should care because OIE's grant programs are the most expansive offering of supplemental Indian Education funding that is invested throughout tribal communities in the United States. Funding is divided among three large subparts:

Formula Grants go to approximately 1,300 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), Tribal Nations, and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. Grant amounts are determined by a total submitted student count (ED 506).
Discretionary Competitive Grants go to awardees who successfully propose projects that advance any three of our major competitions, such as:
- Native American Language Grants (NAL@ED)
- Professional Development Service Payback Grants (PD)
- Native Youth Community Project (NYCP), Demonstration Grants (1/2)
- Accessing Choice in Education (ACE), Demonstration Grants (2/2)
National Activities funding go to funding State Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) grants and the National Indian Education Study (NIES), an affiliate of the National Assessment for Educational Progress.

How can I get involved?

Due to the number of applications received for any one of the discretionary grant competitions, the OIE often seeks qualified and willing peer reviewers. Serving as a peer reviewer helps you understand how grant competitions operate and how to better identify ways to write grants in the future.

If you would like to learn more about the OIE, please sign up for our email listserve by emailing Indian.Education@ed.gov

Native American Language (NAL@ED) Grants

Eligibility: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-indian-education/native-american-language-program/eligibility-native-american-language-program/

Purpose: The purposes of the NAL@ED program are to support schools that use Native American and Alaska Native languages as the primary language of instruction; maintain, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans and Alaska Natives to use, practice, maintain, and revitalize their languages, as envisioned in the Native American Languages Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.); and support the Nation’s First Peoples’ efforts to maintain and revitalize their languages and cultures, and to improve educational opportunities and student outcomes within Native American and Alaska Native communities.

Absolute Priority (1): Develop and Maintain New Native American Language Programs

Absolute Priority (2): Expand and Improve Existing Native American Language Programs

Example Activities: professional development, language certification, pre-post assessments, community surveys, etc.

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